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With the canal-trail becoming more and more used, and the intersection here (Sachem at Canal, just past Winchester) being an important access-point to the trail, it is dangerous that this is a three-way intersection with STOP signs on only two out of the three directions of travel! It seems to me a no-brainer to make this a Stop sign for everyone.

joey(Guest)

I have'nt been down that way in a few months,but last time i was Sachem basically stops at Winchester, Yes you can continue down Sachem if your coming from Prospect but there's a big fence and overgrowth before what you would hope to be Canal street. As you approach Winchester from Prospect or Whitney there is a stop sign that says "stop unless turning right", i stop regardless..
heading down Winchester towards Sachem is riddled with potholes and i know to slow down from my usual crawl and take a wide turn onto Sachem. it's a nomans land down there with business grad students parking in the area

The problem that I pointed out at this intersection over six months continues: there has been no meaningful effort to deal with this problem intersection. I know there are long-term plans having to do with Yale's plans for the new colleges in this area, but something needs to be done in the short run before a cyclist or pedestrian is struck and killed here. At least add the additional STOP signs so all ways of traffic flow have to stop!

David Backeberg(Guest)

I actually like the big hedge, as it forces cars to slow down around the corner. I'm not sure a four-way stop is the answer, as I do feel like through traffic Winchester-to-Sachem and Sachem-to-Winchester should have precedence. My proposed solution is to restripe the crosswalks, put up some Yield signs, and put in some curb bumpouts to prevent parking in the intersection at Sachem and Mansfield.

But even better, would be to make Mansfield officially two-way for bikes, with signage indicated it's One Way, Bikes Excepted. Likewise, with the one-way streets that link Winchester to Mansfield. Repaving Winchester where it was destroyed by overweight dump trucks would be nice too.

For the record, I think a better access point to the rail trail is at Webster St., which intersects with the trail, Mansfield, and Winchester. The Sachem meeting of the trail requires off-roading, and was not handicap accessible the last time I was there.

Anonymous(Guest)

Yale has agreed to improve the trail access via Sachem Street ASAP , to make it fully handicapped accessible, and maintain it during construction in the area (once that part of the trail reopens, shortly).

Anonymous(Guest)

I agree w David that a counterflow lane on Mansfield is absolutely needed.

Chevrons ( << >> symbols indicating two way bike traffic), a stop line and "look both ways" text should be striped at Compton and Mansfield, where cars currently swoop around the corner, turning left on Mansfield but only looking to the right (as that is the only direction of oncoming car traffic).

With the extremely high volume of two-way bike traffic already, not to mention the pedestrians crossing at that corner, that's a recipe for a very serious collision.

GC wrote today: "Pedestrians and cyclists are at risk because southbound traffic (which turns left here) does not stop at this corner. This corner has become busy because of the bike trail and Yale Health Center."

Now that construction is complete, this intersection has become a major access point to and from the Farmington Canal, as well as a pass-through route from Downtown to East Rock (via the new trail that goes through the Yale Health property).

Traffic has dramatically increased, particularly among children and Yale affiliates who use this intersection to get around their neighborhood.

Traveling east along Sachem, pedestrians and cyclists, some as young as 5 years old, are now dumped directly into the path of vehicles moving at 30 miles per hour.

In addition to the lack of a stop sign, there is also the fact that pedestrians or cyclists stepping out into southbound traffic on Winchester are completely invisible, and also can not see oncoming traffic until they are in the middle of the intersection.

When one of these adults or children is hit by a vehicle at said speed, they are highly likely to be seriously injured or killed. It is a miracle that this has not already happened, given the new configuration, new construction, and increased traffic.

Does anyone else find it ironic that the construction of the Yale Health building, and completion of a major linear park geared towards children, now may lead directly to the death of people using this intersection?

This needs to be addressed immediately through 1) installation of a stop sign, 2) ped/cyclist warning signs on Sachem, 3) traffic calming measures to slow southbound traffic on Winchester, and 4) measures to improve visibility such as bump-outs, temporary curb extensions and the removal of parking spaces that sit adjacent to the intersection and block visibility.

I ride this route often getting over from Beaver Hill to East Rock to avoid the treacherous hills. It needs to be addressed. It will aid the motorist to obey the law and think twice before making the left turn on to Sachem and see the on coming biking traffic

I was just going to post a clicket for this, and now see that there is one almost 2 years old! With all the construction, this is definitely now a heavily trafficked route, and while it's great for cars to not have to stop for two seconds to make the right hand turn (sarcasm), it makes no sense to have this canal trail and a nice cut through for pedestrians and cyclists, but make THEM have to stop and wait.

This isn't even an expensive fix! Clip the "except right turn sign" off! Fixed.

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